PREVIEW: OXFORD v LEICESTER (ROWE MOTOR OIL PREM)

OXFORD meet Leicester in a big ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash tonight (Monday) involving teams either side of the play-off line.

The Lions won 54-36 when they met in the East Midlands last week, moving them level on points with Spires and into fourth place with a match in hand.

A home win is therefore crucial for Oxford, who bring Lewis Kerr back into the side with Erik Riss moving to reserve – whilst ironically Kerr’s temporary replacement Craig Cook makes a rapid return to Cowley as he now rides for the Lions.

Spires manager Peter Schroeck said: “Our main aim will be to make sure that we win the meeting. It’s too early to be looking at the league table in too much detail, but at the same time, we know it’s important to beat them.

“That’s your bread and butter in any case – to win your home meetings.

“We will also go into the meeting seeking the aggregate point. I’m not naïve and I realise that overturning 18 points at this level is going to be tough, but if the opportunity comes to grab that extra point, we’ll take it.”

Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “We’re 18 points up from last Monday which obviously puts us in a decent position for the aggregate point.

“But it’s a big, big meeting for us and if we can get a win on the night as well it could be very significant for the play-offs.

“We were disappointed to go out of the Cup last week but now it’s about moving on to Monday night. We have riders who know the Oxford track and can go well there, and it’s definitely one we want to win.”

OXFORD: Rohan Tungate, Charles Wright, Lewis Kerr, Maciej Janowski, Chris Harris, Erik Riss, Ashton Boughen.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Richard Lawson, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas, Sam Masters, Craig Cook, Sam Hagon.
SCB Referee: Wayne Jarvis

*LIVE STREAMING: https://livestream.oxfordspeedway.club/